A subpopulation of small pre-B cells in rabbit bone marrow expresses kappa light chains and exhibits allelic exclusion of b locus allotypes.
The expression of immunoglobulin heavy and light chains by pre-B cells and B lymphocytes was examined by two-color immunoflourescence in heterozygous b5b9 rabbits. Allelic exclusion of b5 and b9 kappa light chain allotypes was observed for both surface immunoglobulin-negative pre-B cells and surface immunoglobulin-positive B lymphocytes. In newborn bone marrow, pre-B cells and immature B lymphocytes expressing b9 were as numerous as those expressing b5. In contrast, circulating B cells and bone marrow plasma cells expressing the b5 marker outnumber b9+ cells by 2 to 1 in adult b5b9 animals. Whereas most B lymphocytes expressed kappa light chain b allotypes, approximately 80% of the micro heavy chain-positive pre-B cells did not. The pre-B cells that expressed detectable light chains were relatively small lymphocytes. A model is presented which includes a "transitional" pre-B cell that expresses both micro chains and kappa chains.
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D007126:Immunoglobulin Allotypes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology
D007126:Immunoglobulin Allotypes; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell